another big fella to join

Hi Mad Max

Welcome to the site.

You will find loads of support and love here no matter what.

I hope you find heaps of support and answers to your questions!

Nat

xoxoxoxo

Many of the beds (even the ones from the US) don't do > 200 kgs, so it could be that.

Honestly, every kilogram you lose before the op is one more you don't need to lose later, so don't think it's harder or easier pre or post op, it just is. Personally, I think the Opti stage is one of the most challenging of our journey, as you have choices still at that stage, but fewer afterwards.

You can do Opti. I did Opti and I'm terrible. One of the blokes here has been getting to a safe weight on his own for a while, so it's entirely possible. If you need any virtual support, just let us know :)

Madmax from what my surgeon told me a lot of hospitals won't allow people over 200kg to have surgery as they don't cover staff for lifting those weights when transferring patients before and after surgery. My surgeon didn't have this restriction and he also has like a blow up mattress that kind of hovered you across to the operating table from your bed. Pretty cool actually. I know this doesn't really help as my surgeon is in Sydney and you are Queensland but there could be surgeons around your area that don't have the restrictions. Good luck.

You could go see another surgeon, but he may tell you the same thing!

The reason they like you to lose weight pre op is to make the surgery as safe as possible.

I would be heading off to see a dietician and get on track to lose the weight. Just remember any weight lost before surgery is gone forever.

Wishing you all the best, you can do it!!

sorry everyone for not being around generally things get really bad at work trying to fit in a mountain of work before end of june.Evey year this happens first 6 months really quiet than a mad rush to end of june.Made app to see bovey 5 th july for first visit one little snag i have to be under 200 kgs before bovey will do me "sh_t" i dont think i have been that weight in a long while.And the girl i was talking to said go and get under the weight before july if i could drop that amount of weight easily i would think twice about the opp a little down hearted.Dont know what to do ? do i find another surgeon who will do me or what ,hey dont get me wrong i am going to try my best to drop some weight before july thank you all for your support

Hi

I access my super to pay out of pocket expenses.

Download the forms from the Human Services web site including the guide for medical practitioners- complete your part. You will need a referral from your GP to see the surgeon and if he does a lot of weight loss surgery he will know what to write in his letter to the super fund. If he doesn't then give him the guide. You will need to obtain quotes from the surgeon and anethestist and any other out of pocket costs that you want to claim. When you have your surgeons letter take it to your GP and get him to write his letter - both letters need to be very similar. Then of course you need to put it all together - use the checklist to make sure you have done everything. It takes about 6 weeks to come through. I beleive that Q super are normally co-operative. Good luck and let me know if I can help



G

Heres the link to the thread. Have a look through it, you might find the info you need...................

http://www.gastricsleevesupport.com/f25-accessing-your-superannuation

I haven't accessed my super Madmax so not 100% sure but I'm pretty sure there is a thread that explains everything you have to do. Maybe try the search button and see what you come up with. Good luck.

a referell basically says dear (surgoun) i need your expert opinion on (you) and his weight loss/ weight loss surgery that you recommend, regards(your GP)

has anyone actually talked to someone from human services?? everytime i ring i get that recorded message than put on hold for over half an hour than i get pissed and hang up.Finally found forms i needed online in their website yesterday forms from qsuper turned up.So do i need to get referrel from my doctor which wont be hard than go to bovey,what do i need from him a letter to say why i need this operation? than i put it all together send it off is this correct i am trying to access my super for the op thank you all

Hi Madmax, welcome to the forum, keep positive and you will get there.
Good luck with your journey.

Hi Madmax

What an awesome name LOL!

Welcome to the forum. From what ive reading we've made a brilliant choice.

Goodluck

Mel x

Welcome! :) There's plenty of blokes here, just takes a little while for us all to crawl out of the wood work :)

Feel free to ask questions! :)

Welcome mate..

Stay positive and watch the weight fall off.. I started out only 9kg lighter than you a year ago and I'm down to 128 today.

It's good to see another guy on here I hope you hang around for your journey :)

Hi NIck,
I recently had my band out again had many years of problems with it...anyway got my date for my sleeve 16th April and my god i cant wait.....im terrified i feel like a termite being able to eat anything after years of vomiting.............

At my heaviest i weighed whopping 144kilos today im 96kilos,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, dreaming of getting to 60kilos.

I know i can achieve this with the sleeve i have to finish the journey i started so long ago..........people that have known me a life time are forever telling how great I look as they have known me at my heaviest but Im still over weight........... and truly dont want to be always the biggest in the photo and its only recently i have allowed photos was always to embarrassed an shamed

Any way well done to you and more importantly how do you feel has there been any problems with your Sleeve ....... were you in a world of pain when you woke up after your operation and how things for you now........... looking for lots of info im always asking on here

i look forward to following your journey and watching you success

Cheers Kimmi

Hi Madmax

I had my sleeve done on the 5th of Jan 2012 - just decided I needed to do it in late November and 6 weeks later it was done. Did have my private health cover but all in all it was the best decision for me. It is now nearly a month since I had the sleeve it is certainly a journey - but the fact I am losing weight when I thought I would never stop putting it on has turned my life around. No matter how big you are it is all relative. If you do not like yourself because of your weight and you want to value your health this will be best choice for you.

I found this forum and the people on it a great help, glad you are with us

Nick

thank you for your support rang qsuper on friday yes not a problem could not be more helpful sending me all the forms, now dept of human services sat there listening to that boring music for half an hour hung up tried later on rang out next time answering machine i will try on monday to get forms and info than book app with bovey

Welcome!!

Wishing you all the very best on this journey... best decision I ever made!!!

Hey there!!

I was sleeved by Bovey... he is a great surgeon and all of his staff are absolutely wonderful. I highly recommend him and clearly I am ecstatic with how my sleeve is going. I definitely have no regrets and you will find Bovey doesn't really recommend the band so you won't have to make that decision anyway!! Get a referral and book in ASAP with him and get the ball rolling. You will go to Madonna Caffery and she will refer you to a psychologist (who I also love), a dietician etc etc and by the time you get to see the surgeon you are all ready to book the surgery date! Time will fly, enjoy your journey!! (Hope I didn't throw too much info at you there...) If you have anything to ask or want to know anything about my surgery, head to my diary (link at bottom) and check it out... Have a good one :)

Hi MadMax and welcome.

Wishing you all the best with your journey, surgery, etc.

The sleeve is a brillant tool, I love mine. Life is so normal now!

Mate Welcome good to see another guy on here, we are outnumbered on here, anyway should let you know i started at 260kg last april, long story short did opti till i was down under 243kg, ended up being 233 surgery day which was 18th august 2011,

AND IM NOW 190KG :)

So yeah sleeve works good very good, never chucked up and still losing 5 months post surgery

thank you! i will be asking a lot of questions in the next few months when i organize the op

Welcome MadMax! There are a lot of men here now! A few are in your situation, and actually started off at HEAVIER weights, and are now under 190 kg! You will have plenty of diaries to read and be inspired by!

Good luck with your appointment, start a diary of your own in the diary section, and keep us posted!

Hi Madmax and welcome to the forum. Love the name. So much info here for you to read. If you haven't already go to the Surgeons thread and check out comments about the Dr you have chosen. I can totally relate to all of a sudden not invisible once you are thinner. It's sad really. Good luck with everything and hope your appointment goes well. Keep us posted and don't hesitate to ask any questions if you need to.

Kate

came across this great site by accident have been thinking about sleeving for a long while starting to affect my work life and home life in mobitity issues.Last time i weighed my self it scared me now i would guess about 240kg yeah crikey!!!! .So i am ringing q super see what i can do there plus i am in top cover in medibank blue ribbon for 15 years, talked to a couple mates one with band other with sleeve the one with sleeve has no regrets after 1 year other still gets things stuck in throat and bringing it back up.So as a kid i was always a big kid always in the back row in class photos which i didnt mind not many friends always teased by others because of size.Went to boarding school lost a lot of weight trimmed down suddenly i had heaps of friends people would talk you you and not stare. Once you start work out with mates last thing you are worried about is exercise so weight creeps on and on,so here i am hopefully i can do something about it with townsville being 6 hours away i will book a visit to peter bovey in easter time i will let you know how things go bye for now madmax